U.S. patent application number 10/937884 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-31 for anti-fog visors assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to OPTICOS S.r.I.. Invention is credited to Gafforio, Luca, Salvetti, Alberto, Tomasoni, Gabriele.
Application Number | 20050066427 10/937884 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30012678 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050066427 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gafforio, Luca ; et
al. |
March 31, 2005 |
Anti-fog visors assembly
Abstract
Anti-fog visors assembly comprising at least an external visor
(5) and at least an internal visor (6) at least partially kept in
abutment on the internal surface of said external visor by way of
mechanical retaining means. Said mechanical retaining means
comprise at least two retainers (1, 1') coupled to the external
visor, wherein the internal visor is lodged, and is retained.
Advantageously, at least one of the two retainers is a pin (1)
rotatable with respect to the internal visor, and which comprises a
portion (4) for the engagement with the some internal visor, which
has at least a region for the loose engagement and at least a
region for the tight engagement (15), depending on the rotation
angle reached by the rotatable pin. Moreover, the aforesaid
rotatable pin is jointed to means (3) for imposing its rotation
which extend to the outside of the external visor.
Inventors: |
Gafforio, Luca; (Comun Nuovo
(BG), IT) ; Salvetti, Alberto; (Bergamo, IT) ;
Tomasoni, Gabriele; (Bariano (BG), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
1100 N GLEBE ROAD
8TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22201-4714
US
|
Assignee: |
OPTICOS S.r.I.
Brembate di Sopra (BG
IT
|
Family ID: |
30012678 |
Appl. No.: |
10/937884 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
2/422 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A42B 3/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
002/422 |
International
Class: |
A42B 001/24; B60J
003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 12, 2003 |
IT |
MI2003U 000411 |
Claims
1. An anti-fog visors assembly of the type comprising at least an
external visor and of least on infernal visor maintained in
abutment, at least partially, on the internal surface of said
external visor by way of mechanical retaining means said mechanical
retaining means comprising at east two retainers coupled to said
external visor, within which said internal visor is lodged
characterized in that at least one of said two retainers is a pin
pivotable with respect to said internal visor and comprising a
portion for the engagement with said internal visor which has at
least a region for the loose engagement and at least a region for
the tight engagement, depending on the rotation angle achieved by
said at feast one pivotable pin, and in that said pivotable pin is
coupled to means for forcing its rotation, sold means for forcing
its rotation extending externally from said external visor.
2. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, wherein said mechanical
retaining means also comprise at least a seat, laterally provided
within said internal visor, for the engagement with said pivotable
pin, the anti-fog visors assembly being characterized in that said
portion for the engagement of said pivotable pin is eccentrically
shaped with respect to the correspondent seat of the internal
visor.
3. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 2, characterized in that
said pivotable pin comprises at least a tab for blocking said
internal visor arranged above said portion for the engagement with
said internal visor.
4. An anti-fog visors assembly of any previous claim 2,
characterized in that said portion for the eccentric engagement
comprises at least a disassembly angular position, substantially
coincident with said at least one region for the loose engagement
wherein the distance between the rotation axis of said pivotable
pin and the coupling point with said correspondent seat of said
internal visor is minimum, thus said pivotable pin not imposing any
tension, or impose a minimum tension, to said internal visor.
5. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, characterized in that
said pivotable pin comprises at least a blocking tab which may be
arranged above a correspondent region for the engagement with said
internal visor, said blocking tab engaging said infernal visor
exclusively for a preset angular range achieved by said pivotable
pin.
6. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, characterized in that it
comprises two pins pivotable with respect to said internal visor,
each of said two pivotable pins being provided with a portion for
the engagement with the internal visor which provides at least a
region for the loose engagement and at least a region for the tight
engagement depending on the rotation angle achieved by said at
least one pivotable pin.
7. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, characterized in that
said mechanical retaining means comprise at least an external cap
fixable to said at least one pivotable pin through a hole provided
in said external visor.
8. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 7, characterized in that
said external cap comprises a shaped portion for the manual
operation of said at least one pivotable pin in rotation.
9. An anti-tog visors assembly of claim 7, characterized in that
said external cap is fixable through a snap coupling to said
pivotable pin.
10. A visors assembly of claim 7, wherein said external cap and
said pivotable pin are jointly rotatable within said hole of said
external visor.
11. A visors assembly claim 7, wherein said external cap is shaped
to prevent the axial sliding of said at least one pivotable pin
with respect to said external visor.
12. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, characterized in that
the external surface of said internal visor abuts, almost
completely, the internal surface of said external visor.
13. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, wherein the external
surface of said internal visor abuts only in correspondence of its
peripheral edge.
14. An anti-fog visors assembly of claim 1, wherein the curvature
radius (R.sub.6) of the internal visor is higher than curvature
radius (R.sub.5) of the external visor.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to an anti-fog visors assembly
of the type comprising an external visor and an internal visor,
which is at least, partially, kept in abutment on the internal
surface of the external visor, by way of mechanical retaining
means. In particular, the mechanical retaining means are
constituted by at least two retainers, coupled to the external
visor, which engage the correspondent seat, or engagement region,
usefully located in lateral position on the internal visor.
[0002] Different solutions are well known in the technique for
avoiding or reducing the fogging of the visor of the protection
helmets, principally for helmets to be used in the motorcycle
field. The fogging of the visor in a protection helmet for
motorcycling, due to the condensation of the steam breath out by
the user on the internal surface of the visor (i.e. positioned
toward the inside of the helmet), when the same is lowered, is in
fact a extremely frequent undesired event, particularly in the so
called integral helmets.
[0003] An advantageous solution to this problem is to couple an
internal visor made of a hydrophilic material, such as for example
cellulose acetate, which has anti-fog properties but which is
normally slightly resistant to scratches, to an external visor made
of a material resistant to scratches, even if it is hydrophobic,
such as for example polycarbonate. In order to avoid the fogging of
such assembly of visors, the coupling of the internal visor to the
external visor has to be clearly a sealed one, i.e. between the
external surface of the internal visor and the internal surface of
the external visor has to be no humid air flow.
[0004] The International Patent Application WO 96/16563 in the name
of ARNOLD, teaches an internal visor made of cellulose acetate
mechanically retained against an external visor in polycarbonate,
such that external surface made of cellulose acetate is completely
in contact with the internal surface of the visor made of
polycarbonate. The assembly of visors disclosed in the document in
the name of Arnold provides two retainers coupled in a firm way to
the external visor, and projecting into the internal part of this
latter, which engage the semicircular seats provided at the sides
of the internal visor, which is elastically deformed and which is
shaped in such a way that, when coupled to the two pins if is
subject to a tension which avoids the easy disengagement from the
some retainers. More particularly, the internal visor of the ARNOLD
document has curvature radius slightly higher than the curvature
radius of the external visor and thus is forced to engage the
internal retainers of the external visor in order for such internal
visor being deformed and being placed completely in contact with
the internal surface of the external visor, according to a flexed
configuration kept in tension by the two retainers.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,373 in the name of GRAU provides, in a
visor structure similar to the one described in the ARNOLD
Application, an external surface of the internal visor made of
cellulose acetate having a peripheral edge made of a sealing
material, such as for example silicon, which defines an external
waterproof air chamber between the two visors, when the internal
visor is coupled to the external visor made of polycarbonate
through engaging concave seats laterally provided on the internal
visor with the correspondent internal retainers of the visors made
of polycarbonate. Also in the GRAU visors assembly the internal
visors is elastically deformed and is kept in such an elastically
deformed state, i.e. in tension, by the two retainers of the
external visor.
[0006] In such anti-fog visors assemblies, as it is evident to the
skilled man in the field, the dimensions and the shape of the two
visors and the mechanical retaining means are particularly
critical, as well as the duration in time of the plastic materials
which constitute the internal visor, which materials can experience
relaxation and plastic deformation (creep of the plastic
materials).
[0007] In fact, in order for the internal visor to be subject to
the expected tension and deformation, so to be easily mounted
without occasional failures or plastic deformations, there is the
need for the dimensions of the two visors and of the eventually
different curvature radius for the dimensions and the locations of
the external visor and the semicircular seats of the internal visor
to be approximately identical to the dimensions and locations
theoretically set in the designing. This means that the admitted
tolerances in the manufacturing of the two visors and of the two
mechanical retaining means, i.e. retainers and seats, have to be
extremely strict, this leading to high production costs.
[0008] Furthermore, the cellulose acetate, or an other hydrophilic
material used for the manufacturing of the internal visor, can
experience a partial degradation process in time, which can lead to
an enlargement of the coupling seats of the internal visor, to a
relaxation of the material and to dimensional shrinkage even if
small, both due to mechanical wear at the coupling of the seats
with the pins and due the exposition to the thermic energy and to
luminous radiations in time (creep), and thus such a process can
lead to a lack of the tensioning conditions to which the internal
visor has to be submitted--by way of the two pins of the external
visors--in order to maintain the tight contact between the two
visors. That is, as time passes, it is possible for the visors
assembly disclosed in the ARNOLD and GRAU documents to experience
degradation or even the failure of the coupling between the
retainer and the internal visor, with subsequent reduction of the
anti-fog properties.
[0009] At last, in both ARNOLD and GRAU solutions, in order to
remove the internal visor from the external visor--step which is
necessary for example when the replacement of the internal visor is
required, which, as mentioned above, can easily deteriorate in
time--it is necessary first to disengage the visors assembly from
the protection helmet and then to elastically deform the external
visor by bending it in such a way to temporarily increase its
curvature radius, so to allow for the disengagement of the seats of
the internal visor from the pins of the external visor, and so to
allow the removal of the internal visor. Consequently the user must
remove the visors structure from the cover of the helmet in order
to remove the internal visor this requiring a considerable time
span and often requiring the operation of specific tools.
[0010] For the user of the above mentioned visors assembly, it's
impossible to easily remove the internal visor form the external
visor or to modify the coupling conditions between the two visors,
this being felt as a considerable limitation of such assembly.
[0011] Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an anti-fog visors assembly of the aforesaid type that is
not subject to the drawbacks of the known technique and which is
then easy to be manufactured, that permits an easy mounting and
removal of the internal visor and which is not subject to a rapid
degradation of the anti-fog properties in time.
[0012] This and other objects are achieved by the visors assembly
according to the first independent claim and to the subsequent
dependent claims.
[0013] According to the present invention the anti-fog visors
assembly comprises at least an external visor and at least an
internal visor maintained, at least partially, in abutment on the
internal surface of said external visor by way of mechanical
retaining means. Such mechanical retaining means comprise at least
two retainers coupled to the external visor, within which the
internal visor is lodged and retained. Advantageously, at least one
of the two retainers is a pin pivotable with respect to the
internal visor and comprises a portion for the engagement with the
same internal visor which has at least a region for the loose
coupling and at least a region for the tight coupling depending on
the rotation angle achieved by the pivotable pin. Moreover the
above mentioned pivotable pin is jointed to means for forcing its
rotation which means extend externally from the external visor.
[0014] The designing of a pivotable pin operable from the outside
of the external visor and provided with a portion for the
engagement with the internal visor--having a geometry depending on
the rotation angle set for the same pivotable pin--permits to
modify the conditions of the retaining of the internal visor,
simply by rotating such pin. As a consequence, it is possible to
provide a region for the loose coupling of such engaging portion,
wherein the mounting and the removal of the internal visor on the
external visor is simplified, and to provide a region for the tight
coupling wherein the internal visor is removable or mountable only
in a difficult way. The rotation of the pivotable pin, achieved
from the outside of the visors assembly by way of the foresaid
means for setting the rotation of the pivotable pin, thus permits
easily engage or disengage the internal visor from the external
visor, with no need for disengaging in advance the external visor
for the cover, neither for deforming the last or for using specific
tools.
[0015] According to a preferred aspect of the present invention,
the internal visor may comprise lateral seats wherein the retainers
coupled to the external visor are engaged, and the engagement
portion of the pivotable pin may be shaped such a way as to engage
the corresponding lateral seat through a cam coupling.
[0016] The cam coupling of the surface of the pivotable pin with a
lateral seat of the internal visor, as will be clarified in detail
in the following description, gives the possibility of varying the
tension imposed by the pins to the internal visor, by modifying the
arm between the fixed rotation axis of the pin and its engaging
point with the concave seat of the internal visor. Therefore, for
the mounting and the dismounting of the internal visor it is
sufficient to rotate the pivotable pin, by way of the aforesaid
external means for imposing its rotation, such a way as to modify
the tension which the internal visor is subject to, and
consequently to modify the conditions of the coupling of the same
internal visor with the external visor, with no need to foresee the
deformation of the external visor or the achievement of extremely
strict tolerances in the manufacturing of the various parts.
[0017] According to another advantageous aspect of the present
invention, the mechanical retaining means comprise two pivotable
pins provided with a surface for the cam coupling with two
respective seats of the internal visor, wherein each pin is
integral with respective means for imposing the rotation which
means extend to the outside of the external visor.
[0018] In this way, both during the assembly step, and during the
maintenance step and the eventual replacement, one has the
possibility to adjust, easily and in an extremely accurate manner,
the tension which the internal visor is submitted to.
[0019] In a peculiar embodiment of the present invention the
retaining means comprise, in particular, at least an external cap,
which is fixable through a suitable hole provided in the external
visor to the pivotable pin, in such a way that the group of the pin
and the related external gap can jointly rotate. In this case, the
above mentioned means for imposing the rotation to the pivotable
pin may be constituted by a shaped portion of the same external
cap.
[0020] According to a further peculiar aspect of the present
invention, a blocking tab may be provided over the engaging portion
of each pivotable pin, in order to avoid the internal visor from
accidentally disengaging the pin.
[0021] Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be
described herein after, as non limiting examples considering the
enclosed figures, wherein:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the mechanical retaining
means of a visors assembly according to a preferred aspect of the
present invention;
[0023] FIG. 2 is a lateral sectional view of a anti-fog visors
assembly provided with retaining means shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIGS. 3a e 3b are respectively a plan view form below and a
sectional view taken at the dotted line A-A of FIG. 3a of a
pivotable pin according to a peculiar aspect of the present
invention;
[0025] FIGS. 4a-4c are respectively a plan view from below, a
lateral view and a sectional view taken at the line B-B in FIG. 4a
of an external cap for fixing the pin represented in FIGS. 3a and
3b;
[0026] FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view from above of a visors
assembly in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 6 is a partial fragmentary view of the visors assembly
shown in the previous figures.
[0028] FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of alternative retaining
means of the visors assembly according to the present invention;
and
[0029] FIG. 8 is a plan view from below of a pivotable pin of the
retaining means of FIG. 7.
[0030] With reference to all the figures, the anti-fog visors
assembly according to the present invention comprises at least an
external visor 5 made of a scratch resistant material, such as
polycarbonate, and at least an internal visor 6 made of an anti-fog
hydrophilic material, such as for example cellulose acetate, which
visor 6 is coupled to the external visor 5 by way of mechanical
retaining means 1, 2 (or 101, 2). Such retaining means comprise at
least two retainers 1, 1' (or 101), coupled to the external visor 5
and suitable to lodge the aforesaid internal visor 6 in the middle,
so to lock it. According to the known technique, the retainers 1,
1'; 101 can retain the internal visor 6 to the external visor 5 in
a fix way by transmitting a preset tension at corresponding concave
seats 13, 13', which the internal visor 6 may be laterally provided
with, and/or by preventing, through interposition of parts, the
sliding of the internal visor 6 with respect to the same retainers
1, 1'; 101.
[0031] Advantageously, according to the present invention, at least
one of such retainers 1, 1'; 101 is a pin 1; 101 pivotable with
respect to the internal visor 6 and provided with a portion 4; 104
for the engagement with the same internal visor 6, which portion 4;
104 provides at least a region 14; 114 for the loose engagement and
at least a region 15; 115 for the tight engagement with the same
visor 6, depending on the rotation angle achieved by the pivotable
pin 1; 101.
[0032] At this point and in the following description "region for
the loose engagement" it is intended a region of the engaging
portion 4 for the only partial engagement, or at least for a
complete disengagement, of the same portion with the internal visor
6, which allows the user to easily disengage the internal visor 6
from the retainers 1, 1'; 101; while for "region of tight
engagement" it is intended a region of the portion 4 which, because
of the geometric characteristics of the parts, allows for a firm
engagement of the same internal visor 6 with the external visor
5.
[0033] According to the present invention, the pin 1; 101 is also
fixed to means 3 for imposing the rotation of the some pin 1; 101
and which extend to the outside of the external surface of the
external visor 5, i.e. directed toward the air flow impinging the
helmet and opposed to the visor 6.
[0034] Such means 3, for example constituted by a shaped part
securely fixed to the pivotable pin 1; 101 and extended externally
from the external visor 5, may be easily made integral with the pin
1; 101 or may be jointed to this latter in a second moment, and
allow the manual operation, by rotation, of the same pin 1; 101 by
the user, permitting his operation externally from the visors
assembly according to the present invention.
[0035] In the preferred embodiment shown in the FIGS. 1-6, the
mechanical retaining means of the visors assembly according to the
present invention comprise two pins 1, 1' engaged with the external
visor 5, which project from the internal surface of this latter,
and which are shaped to fit with two corresponding concave seats
13, 13' laterally provided along the edge of the internal visor
6.
[0036] In the shown embodiment, the dimensions of the internal
visor 6 and of its lateral seats 13, 13', also the distance between
the retainers 1, 1', and their shape, allow the retaining of the
internal visor 6 in full contact with the internal surface of the
external visor 5, in a elastically deformed structure of said
internal visor 6, so to avoid humid air from flowing between the
two visors 5, 6.
[0037] In particular, the internal visor 6, which preferably may
have a curvature radius R.sub.6 higher than the curvature radius
R.sub.5 of the external visor 5, is elastically deformed (bended)
during its assembling between the retainers 1, 1' and is kept in
such deformed shape by the same retainers 1, 1' that impose a
certain tension on the internal visor 6, thanks to their coupling
with the correspondent seats 13, 13'. The elasticity of the
material of the internal visor 6 and the bending to which the same
internal visor 6 is subject permit an optimal retaining by the
retainers 1, 1'.
[0038] At least one of the retainers 1, 1' according to the present
invention is constituted by a pin 1 which is mounted on the
external visor 5 in a pivotable way around an axis X-X. incident
the some external visor 5, and which comprise a portion for the
engagement with the internal visor 6 constituted by a cylindrical
body 4, having a circular base, eccentrically located with respect
to the aforesaid rotation axis X-X of the pin 1. In other words,
the circular base cylindrical body 4 has its symmetry axis parallel
to the rotation axis X-X of the pin 1, standing aside from said
rotation axis X-X, so to cam couple itself with a corresponding
seat 13, 13' laterally provided on the some internal visor 6.
[0039] The pin 1, as it will be clarified later, is also jointed
with means 3 for transmitting the rotation which, advantageously,
extend to the external side of the external visor 5, so to allow an
easy operation by rotating the same pin 1 from the user.
[0040] Thus, with particular reference to FIGS. 3a and 3b, the
rotation of the pin 1, thanks to the means 3, allows the
cylindrical body 4 to gradually move from a first angular position,
wherein a region (or at least a point) 14 for the loose engagement
engages the respective seat 13 of the visor 6, to a second angular
position wherein a different region (or point) 15 for the tight
engagement engages the same seat 13, and vice versa.
[0041] In the case that exclusively the pin 1 is of the pivotable
type provided with a body 4 arranged in an eccentric way, when the
region 14 engages the internal surface of the concave seat 13, the
arm d between the rotation axis X-X and the engaging surface of the
body 4 is minimum and thus the distance between the outermost
engaging points of the pin 1 and of the retainer 1' to the internal
visor 6 is the maximum, in this way imposing a minimum, or at least
null, tension on the same visor 6 by the retainers 1, 1'. In this
configuration, as immediately evident, the assembling or the
removal of the internal visor 6 within the retainers 1, 1' is thus
made easier.
[0042] On the contrary, when the pin 1 is rotated, manually
operating on the means 3, in such a way that the region 15--wherein
the arm D between the rotation axis X-X and the coupling surface of
the body 4 is the maximum--engages the corresponding seat 13, the
distance between the outermost engaging points of the pin 1 and the
retainer 1' with the visor 6 is the minimum, this requiring the
application of a maximum tension on the internal visor 6 by the
retainers 1, 1'. This configuration, wherein a maximum tension is
applied on the internal visor 6, avoids or highly interferes with
every displacement of the internal visor 6.
[0043] When both the retainers 1, 1' are of the pivotable type
having an eccentrically arranged cylindrical body for the
engagement, the contemporary angular positioning of the pins 1,
1'--achievable through the corresponding external means 3 for
imposing the rotation of the pins 1, 1', in such a way that the
regions of the eccentric cylindrical body 4 for the engagement with
the minimum arm d engage the respective concave seat 13, 13' of the
internal visor 6--leads to obtain the maximum distance between the
retaining points of the same internal visor 6, in this way
determining the application of minimum tension to this latter, i.e.
leading to a loose linking between the pins 1, 1' and the visor
6.
[0044] On the contrary, the application of the maximum tension on
the internal visor 6 will be achieved when the regions for the
engagement with the maximum arm D are contemporary in engagement
with the concave seats 13, 13'--thanks to the rotation of the pins
1, 1'--in this way carrying out a tight link between the pins 1, 1'
and the visor 6.
[0045] As described above, the rotation of one or both pins 1, 1'
of the embodiment of the FIGS. 1-6 permits to modify the engagement
conditions of the internal visor 6 with the external visor 5
depending one the angular position achieved by the pins 1, 1', thus
adjusting substantially in a continuous way (thanks to the
eccentric arrangement of the body 4) the tension which the internal
visor 6 may be subject to, when the visor 6 has an elastically
deformed structure which put the same visor 6 in partial or full
contact with the internal surface of the visor 5.
[0046] Such modifications of the engagement conditions thus permit
to the manufacturer to provide lower tolerances during the
production of the parts of the above mentioned visors assembly and
allow the user to assembly or disassembly the internal visor 6 by
easily operating from the outside of the external visor 5, by way
of the aforesaid means 3 for the application of the rotation to the
pins 1, 1', with no need for a first disengagement of the external
visor 5 from the helmet cover and without the necessity of specific
tools. Moreover, in the case wherein dimensional variations of the
internal visor 6 are provided, due for example to the wearing or to
creep events, the simple rotation of at least one of the pins 1, 1'
also permits to improve the tension which the internal visor 6 is
subject to, so that a tight contact between the two visors 5, 6 is
ensured.
[0047] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
illustrated in detail in the FIGS. 2, 3a and 3b, each pin 1, 1' may
also be provided with an upper blocking tab 9, suitable to avoid
accidental disengagement of the seats 13, 13' with the engagement
regions of the eccentric cylindrical bodies 4. Each blocking tab 9,
provided above the internal surface of the visor 6, radially
extends from the pin 1, 1' only according to an angular range
(which comprises the region 15) wherein a tight coupling of the
same eccentric cylindrical body 4 with the respective seat 13, 13'
of the visor 6 occurs, in such a way that the tab 9 does not impede
the removal of the visor when the region 14 for the loose
engagement is brought into engagement with the respective seat 13,
13'.
[0048] Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in the FIGS. 1-6, the
pins 1, 1' are linked to the external visor 5 in a rotatable way
with respect to the some visor, thanks to the engagement of such
pins 1, 1' with the correspondent caps 2, 2', which extend to the
outside of the visor 5 through respective holes 7 provided on the
same visor 5. The geometry of the caps 2, 2' and the pins 1, 1'
prevents the group constituted by each pin 1, 1' fixed to the
respective external cap 2, 2' from slipping off from the hole 7 and
at the some time permits the jointly rotation of such group around
the axis X-X within the hole 7.
[0049] It has to be noticed that, in alternate embodiments not
shown, each cap 2 may be integral with the external visor 5 and may
engage the correspondent pin 1, 1' in such a way to allow its
relative rotation with respect to the same cap 2, 2' which, thus,
is fixed with respect to both visors 5, 6.
[0050] With reference to the FIGS. 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b, in the
particular embodiment shown, each external cap 2, 2' comprises an
upper portion 10 below which a cylinder 11 projects, provided with
a spline 12 and with projections 20. The upper portion 10 comprises
a shaped end 3 directed toward the outside of the external visor 5,
which end is suitable to simplify the manual operation--in rotation
around the axis X-X--of the cap 2 or 2' and the related pin 1 or 1'
by the user and which is thus an essential part of the aforesaid
means for imposing the rotation to the pin 1 or 1'.
[0051] In particular, the lower cylinder 11 is shaped for
internally engage a correspondent hollow seat 8 obtained within the
pin 1, 1' and provided with a casing 21 for the spline 12. The
hollow seat 8 also comprises grooves, not shown, suitable to snap
couple with the projections 20, i.e. through interposition of parts
upon the spring back of the same projections 20. The snap coupling
of the pin 1, 1' with the cap 2, 2' ensures the axial engagement
between the two parts, while the presence of the spline 12, which
engage within the casing 21, provides the rotation of the cap 2 or
2' jointly with the pin 1 or 1'.
[0052] Although the application of an external cap 2, 2' has been
described, suitable to retain in a rotatable way each pin 1, 1' to
the external visor 5, other known means may be provided for the
engagement of the pin 1 to the same visor, as well as suitable
means for imposing the rotation of the same pin 1, 1' may be
provided, which extend to the outside of the visor 5. For example,
the pin 1 may comprise an elastically deformable portion suitable
to engage the hole 7 and provided with a grip end for the user.
[0053] The FIGS. 7 and 8 show an alternate embodiment of the
present invention particularly convenient when the internal visor 6
is partially brought in abutment with the internal surface of the
external visor 5, preferably in correspondence of one peripheral
edge. For example, the external surface of the internal visor 6, as
disclosed in the above mentioned patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,373
(GRAU), may be provided with a frame 117 made of a material
impermeable to fluids, such as a silicone material, arranged in
correspondence of the peripheral edge of said external surface of
the visor 6 and suitable to engage the external visor 5.
[0054] By providing this solution, it is possible to use the
retainers 101 which can simply retain the internal visor 6 in
partial engagement with the visor 5, by way of a shaped area 116
which stands on the internal surface of the same visor 6, with no
need for said retainers 101 to necessarily transmit an adjusting
tension on the internal visor 6.
[0055] More in detail, according to a peculiar aspect of the
present invention, each pin 101 of the embodiment shown in the
FIGS. 7 and 8 comprises a portion for the engagement with the
internal visor 6 constituted by an upper tab 104 which extend
beyond the visor 6 of an angular range around the rotation axis X-X
of the pin 101. Such tab 104 provides a first region 115 for the
tight engagement, which comprises a projection 116 shaped for
engage the internal surface of the visor 6 so to transmit a certain
pressure to the last, and a second region 114 for the loose
engagement, without the elements for the engagement with the same
visor 6.
[0056] The pin 101, as similarly described with reference to the
FIGS. 1-6, is coupled in a pivotable way to the external visor 5,
through the hole 7 provided within the visor 5, by way of its
coupling to an external cap 2, which is opportunely shaped for snap
engage the same pin 101--using a spline--and which is provided with
a shaped portion 3 for permitting the operation of the pin 101, by
its rotation, from the outside of the external visor 5.
[0057] The rotation of the pin 101 around the axis X-X of FIG. 7
allows the user to alternatively engage the tight engagement region
115 with the internal visor 6, in this way retaining the same visor
6 in partial contact with the external visor 5, and with the loose
engagement region 114, thus freeing the internal visor 6.
[0058] In view of the above, the skilled man will clearly
understand that providing pivotable pins of the above mentioned
type--i.e. pins which comprise a portion for the engagement with
the internal visor having at least a region for the loose
engagement and a region for the tight engagement depending on the
rotation angle achieved by a same pivotable pin and which are
provided with means for imposing the rotation extending outside the
external visor, in an anti-fog visors assembly of the type having
an internal anti-fog visor which is placed on on external
anti-scratch visor--permits to make the tolerances of the parts of
such visors assembly higher, with consequent economic advantages,
permits to easily mount or dismount the internal visor without the
necessity for preventively disengage the external visor from the
helmet cover, and permits, when it is required, to adjust in a
precise way the tension which the internal visor may be subject
to.
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